


Project Calantha

by TheSchwartz



Category: Zootopia
Genre: Gen, [DATA EXPUNGED]
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-21
Updated: 2018-06-21
Packaged: 2019-05-26 06:03:32
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,542
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14994392
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheSchwartz/pseuds/TheSchwartz
Summary: Classified: Top SecretDate of Project Commencement: September 18, 1971Objective: Asymmetrical warfare through the use of newly developed [DATA EXPUNGED] compound derived from the [DATA EXPUNGED] flowering plant (scientific name: [DATA EXPUNGED])Subject: Initial Field Test





	Project Calantha

**PROJECT CALANTHA**

CLASSIFIED: TOP SECRET

 

ON THE AUTHORITY OF [DATA EXPUNGED]

DIRECTOR OF [DATA EXPUNGED] OF THE ZOOTOPIAN SOVEREIGNTY INTELLIGENCE AGENCY

 

Date: August 25, 1972

Time: 1145 hrs

Location: Zootopia City, [DATA EXPUNGED] Base

 

Interview Between Junior Investigator Wilson Kitridge and Corporal Henry Woolard on the Initial Field Test of the [DATA EXPUNGED] Compound

 

[Recording starts]

 

Kitridge: This is Wilson Randolph Kitridge, Junior Investigator of the Zootopian Sovereignty Intelligence Agency’s Oversight Subcommittee. Please state your name and rank for the record.

 

Woolard: (chuckling) Junior.

 

Kitridge: Something funny, Corporal?

 

Woolard: Just that I’m bein’ interrogated by a newbie detective. They give you a sticker for that?

 

Kitridge: This isn’t an interrogation. You’re not a suspect in anything. Please just state your name and rank so we can get started.

 

Woolard: (sigh) Corporal Henry Woolard.

 

Kitridge: Who were you stationed with, Corporal?

 

Woolard: [DATA EXPUNGED] Air Cavalry Brigade at [DATA EXPUNGED] Base, South Vietnam.

 

Kitridge: Good. Now, could you please describe the events of the 13th of May, 1972?

 

Woolard: I thought you agency spooks would have figured it out by now? Why you askin’ a lowly corporal?

 

Kitridge: The rest of your platoon has refused to cooperate. Your superiors have given their statements, but we thought it best to get as many viewpoints on the situation as possible.

 

Woolard: I see how it is. You guys decide to shit on a foreign country then ask us draftees how it smells.

 

Kitridge: Fair point. Though, we usually have our heads so far up our own asses that everything starts to smell the same. That’s why we need your help Corporal, to determine what smell is what.

 

Woolard: Heh. You’re an honest spook I’ll give you that. Ok, new guy, I’ll tell you what I saw, but I can’t say I’ll enjoy it. I got a good idea as to why no one’s said nothin’.

 

Kitridge: That’s good enough for me. Now, start at the beginning. What happened leading up to the actual mission?

 

Woolard: Wasn't much different from any other day. Our debrief stated we were assaulting a village about, oh, [DATA EXPUNGED] klicks north of us. Can’t say I remember the name, but it was s’posed to be swarming with VC’s. We’d done these, whaddya call em? “Shock n’ awe” runs, before. Scares the hell outta Charlie. But today was something different entirely.

 

Kitridge: How so?

 

Woolard: First off, there was a bunch of new brass all over the base. Bigwig generals, spooks, you name it. That alone was weird. This wasn’t some big airbase in Saigon, this was fuckin’ [DATA EXPUNGED] Base in the middle of dirt-fucked nowhere. Ain't no reason for them all to be here, ‘cept for something big. But what was weirder was what they brought with them.

 

Kitridge: What was it?

 

Woolard: I’m sure you know what it was, but I’ll tell you anyways, seein’ as this is all on record. A couple MP’s were with them, unloading some big metal tanks, and strappin’ them to our Shrueys where the rocket pods normally go. They were ‘bout the size of rocket pods, but shiny ‘n new. Definitely not from a war zone. And they had this big red symbol on the side, along with a bunch of other writing that just screamed danger.

 

Kitridge: What was the symbol you saw on the side of the tanks?

 

Woolard: Biohazard. I grew up on a farm in Bunnyburrow. I’ve seen symbols like that all over the pesticides my pa uses. ‘Cept there the most you gotta do for protection is hold the bottle away from you and don’t be stupid. Here there was a whole ‘nother level of caution around those tanks.

 

Kitridge: Care to elaborate?

 

Woolard: The MP’s were all wearin’ these big baggy suits with gas masks. They walked carefully ‘round those tanks like one bad look’d make em blow up. Then right before we set off the whole platoon was ordered to put on these suits and masks as well. I tell you those things were hot as the devil on the inside. I was glad I had sheared just the other day.

 

Kitridge: Could you describe the assault team you were part of that day?

 

Woolard: How do you mean?

 

Kitridge: Just the general layout of the group. Number of mammals, Shrueys, which ones had these tanks attached, etcetera.

 

Woolard: Okay. Well, including pilots, I’d say ‘bout fifty mammals in all. Nine helicopters. Two of those choppers, Pawlansky’s and, uh, Bullam’s, I think, had two of those shiny tanks each, so four total. I didn’t think of it as a weapon at first. You could hardly give an elephant family a bath with the total amount of (pause) whatever was inside em. Couldn’t‘ve been napalm, neither. That shit was for those jet jocks with the bigger deathwish than us. Thought it could’ve been some experimental fuel or somethin’ and left it at that through our flight.

 

Kitridge: Where were you in all of this?

 

Woolard: I was a door gunner for Snarltag’s bird. I’d be involved with ground support once we hit the village. I tell you, if God didn’t hurl lightning he’d definitely be carryin’ an M60. S’things make minced veggies of those VC’s.

 

Kitridge: Noted. Now, could you skip to the raid itself? From the beginning.

 

Woolard: Right, sorry. So like I was sayin’ there was nine choppers total, and we all got to the village okay. Now normally we’d sweep in as one, guns all blazin’, followed by touchdown and goin’ from hut to hut, takin’ out any VC’s we find. But this time, most of the group was ordered over the mic to hang back, while the two with the tanks went in first. Sure, I wasn’t real worried for them, I knew these pilots could handle anythin’. But still there was no way they coulda done much by themselves. Even when the attack started I was more confused than worried.

 

Kitridge: Could you describe the attack?

 

Woolard: The pilots must’ve hit a switch or somethin’, cause the tanks started dumpin’ their contents all over. They did this sweep side by side right up the center of the village. Looked like a bad crop dusting. Cept it wasn’t no pesticide they were spreading.

 

Kitridge: How could you tell?

 

Woolard: For one thing it was this blue-purplish color, kinda bright and flowery. Secondly, it settled to the ground a lot quicker n’ pesticide. Covered everything and everyone in their path. Couple VC’s were out of their huts takin’ pot shots at the Shrueys. Got covered in the stuff. Some others were leavin’ their homes and stepped in it. For a moment I think everyone, even the VC’s, thought the higher ups had lost their damn minds and trying painting us a victory in purple paint. That’s when it started.

 

Kitridge: When what started?

 

Woolard: All those mammals who were standing in that purple shit started droppin’ and twitching somethin’ fierce. Was like they all got seizures at once. Clawing and hooving at their faces. (long pause) Mind if I smoke?

 

Kitridge: Go right ahead.

 

Woolard: (muffled sounds of an opening pack followed by a lighter) Thanks.

 

Kitridge: You know those things will kill you right?

 

Woolard: Shit. I’m told so. But after what I’ve seen I know there’s far worse ways to go.

 

Kitridge: The seizures?

 

Woolard: No, that’s the thing you see. The seizures stopped after a few seconds. It’s what happened after that that would give us all nightmares for weeks. (sighs)

 

Kitridge: Something the matter?

 

Woolard: Yeah, yeah. I just (long pause). It- it’s just hard to retell is all.

 

Kitridge: Take all the time you need.

 

Woolard: No, I’m good. (exhales) What I saw was a bunch of mammals, all types, pred and prey, writhin’ on the ground in pain. One minute like that, next minute they got up. But they weren’t (pause) normal.

 

Kitridge: How were they abnormal?

 

Woolard: They got up, but on all fours. They looked around all frantic. Like there was somethin’ they were scared of. No, that’s not the right word for it. More like, they were about to fight off somethin’. Next thing we knew, they start growlin’, whinin’, hissin’ at each other. All these basic sounds that you learn to make from a young age but never really use no more. It was primal, to see. Then, all of a sudden, those mammals that got hit just charged at one another. A couple of tigers that had been firing on us pounced at an addax. Then they turned at each other. A, uh, whaddya call em? Kinda looks like a big goat?

 

Kitridge: Saola?

 

Woolard: Saola. Yeah. One of em charged across the road and hit a leopard. They both ended up tumbling into a hut and not comin’ out. The VC’s that weren’t crazed seemed to have no clue what to do. A couple tried calmin’ their buddies down, aproachin’ real slow with a paw or hoof out. But the second their former comrades saw em, bam, they were cut down. Poor bastards. The rest did the smart thing and opened fire, but even then they were just overrun, hacked into with claws and horns. Or some would accidentally step in the stuff and turn themselves. Here one minute and gone the next. The whole village went to hell and we had front row seats to the show.

 

Kitridge: For how long did the fighting occur?

 

Woolard: Well, we let it all play out for maybe fifteen, twenty minutes, before we touched down and began a ground sweep. We were all wearin’ those suits and masks, but wherever that purple stuff was no one dared go near the place. We all knew it was irrational. Hell, there was very little anyway that showed through the blood. But we weren’t gonna end up like those things and do that shit to our guys. I don’t know what the higher ups’ve been tellin’ you, but let me be the first to say, it couldn’t’ve been a good way to go. There weren’t so many corpses as there were bits of mammals all about the village. Couple of guys lost their lunch in their masks. Had to go back to the choppers to get new ones. So far it seemed like direct contact was the only thing that made you go nuts, but like I said no one was takin’ chances.

 

Kitridge: Were there any survivors of the attack?

 

Woolard: As far as I saw? A few. But not in the nicest of sorts. One lucky devil of a deer didn’t get crazed or eaten or nothin’. But when we grabbed him he was hollerin’ somethin’ fierce. And when he was being led away, he jumped for a sidearm on one of our boys. He got it, but you know what he did? Sonuvagun put it to his temple an blew his own brains out. I asked our translator afterwards what he was sayin’. ‘Parently he was afraid we were gonna put a demon in him like we did with his pals. Wouldn’t let that happen to himself. Smart, if ya ask me. Then there were a couple bigger mammals, a tiger and an ox I think, who were crazed and chewed up, but still alive. Not for long though. Couple of trigger pulls from our rifles brought em down fast. They didn’t even flinch, like they had no idea what a gun was. Then there was the one I found in the hut. Um. I, uh. (long pause)

 

Kitridge: What did you see in the hut?

 

Woolard: Fuck me. (long pause) Nothin’ I won’t be forgetting for the rest of my life. We-we were goin’ hut to hut, clearing them. So I go in one by myself. Figured there wasn’t much left to fight. But I go into this back room and, (long pause) there’s this young kit, a marbled cat I think, she couldn’t’ve been older than seventeen, eighteen. She was backed into a corner, her muzzle covered in blood. And when she saw me, she was hissin’ and snarlin’. There was a dead body near her, I figured she was fuckin’ eating it, considering the state. Could hardly tell what mammal it might’ve been. But it wasn’t the blood or the body that got to me, it was her eyes. The pupils were nothin’ but slits. Looked like something from a horror film. And-and in those eyes I saw not a trace of civilization left. Not even that piss-poor excuse of what they call civilized over there. It wasn’t mammalian. There wasn’t no regret, or self-preservation. Just rage. Rage and fear. A savage monster. (sigh) Oh, God.

 

Kitridge: What did you do when you encountered the, um, savage?

 

Woolard: ‘Bout the only thing I could do. I drew my Colt automatic and put a bullet right between her, I mean it’s, eyes. I saw it as more of a mercy killin’ than anything. Still, I’m havin’ night terrors to this day about it. I mean, who the fuck does that to another mammal? I’ll admit I ain’t the most morally righteous. I’ve had some bouts with my neighbors, the Grey’s, back home. Bunch of foxes ya see, givin’ their species a bad name. But, hell, I wouldn’t wish what I saw on them even.

 

Kitridge: Is that all?

 

Woolard: That’s about it. We burnt everythin’ with our flamethrowers, packed up, and headed back to base. Nothin’ left for us to do really. Let the rain wash away the blood and purple stuff. (pause) Can I ask you somethin’ now, Junior? Seein’ as I already answered a bunch of questions?

 

Kitridge: Ask away. Just be aware I’m not at liberty to discuss certain things.

 

Woolard: Fair ‘nough. Just this. Why you workin’ for these fucks? You don’t seem like the type to consider doin’ this kind of shit to other mammals.

 

Kitridge: Well, I’m just starting out. Sooner or later the higher ups will retire and they’ll need someone to replace them. I can make changes so nothing like this ever happens again.

 

Woolard: (chuckling) Honest and noble. You’re somethin’ else, spook.

 

Kitridge: That is all I require of you, Corporal. Thank you for your time, you may go. Someone will give you your compensational money before you leave. Remember, you are never to discuss what you saw nor this conversation with anyone on the outside.

 

Woolard: Alright, I won’t. Thanks. (sound of chair moving followed by hoofsteps) I’m gonna spend my money on a long night in a bar somewhere. (door opening)

 

Kitridge: I could use a drink of my own after today. (chuckling in the distance followed by a door closing) (long pause) Let the record state that Corporal Woolard will be receiving his compensation in full as promised. His interview has correlated exactly with the accounts of his superiors on that day. Furthermore, I am also stating for the record that I will be using this evidence along with additional evidence gathered to have Project Calantha shut down and all research into the [DATA EXPUNGED] compound be halted effective immediately. This is Wilson Randolph Kitridge, Junior Investigator for the Zootopia Sovereignty Intelligence Agency’s Oversight Subcommittee, signing off.

 

[Recording ends]

**Author's Note:**

> “It's impossible for words to describe what is necessary to those who do not know what horror means.“
> 
> -Colonel Kurtz, Apocalypse Now
> 
> This one shot came to me when I watched the short film “Firebase” by Oats Studios (they are on YouTube! I highly recommend!) The idea was a unique take on the origin of the Nighthowler serum (Doug may make it but that doesn’t mean he invented it), as well as a tie in to the Alpha series I’m working on (if you haven’t seen it check that out too!). I may add more to this if I’m hit with inspiration. 
> 
> I couldn’t think of a mammalin name for Vietnam, and “Shruey” is a dumb attempt at Huey, i.e. the helicopter you see in every Vietnam War movie ever. Also, my apologies for the historical inaccuracies I’m sure are littered in here. Inspiration is a fickle mistress. 
> 
> I have the strongest desire to listen to some 60’s rock music now... 
> 
> (Time Has Come Today by The Chambers Brothers starts playing)
> 
> There we go!
> 
> {singing}  
> Time has come today!
> 
> Young hearts can go their way!...


End file.
